Venezuelan Foreign Minister Chaderton Matos: the USA wouldn't tolerate Venezuelan media antics

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

In a rapid fire response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Roy Chaderton Matos challenges US Ambassador to Venezuela, Charles Shapiro's statement on the state of press freedom in Venezuela. 

Speaking during a stopover in London on his way to Moscow, the diplomat accuses Venezuelan private print & broadcast media of having taken part in the toppling of a legitimate government and says he hopes the United States of America (USA) would take that fact into consideration. 

"Venezuelan media hid information from national and international public opinion and have been manipulating information for years, as well as usurping the place in democracy reserved for political parties."  Chaderton Matos insists that calls to topple a democratic government and to political assassination with impunity would never be allowed in the USA.  

The USA, the Foreign Minister states, is against incitation to hatred and unfounded arguments against official authorities and persons involved in the process of social change. "Nobody has the right to abolish freedom of expression ... neither governments, private media sources nor international powers."